Building construction



July 7, 1925.

E- E. VA'N WlE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed QC'C. 2'7, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HTT URN Y.

July 7, 1925. 1,545,372

E. E. VAN WlE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION med Oct. 2'1. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 K wx M A (V x v 76 7 952155555 3 5/ 5 b Q 1 \NVENTEIR HTTURNEY Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED 5 To all whom itmag concern: I. Be it known that'I, ELMER E. VAN Win, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and-State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Building. Constructions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip-' tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 1 This invention;relates'tobuilding blocks or tilewhich areadapted to be arranged to form a wall or other building structure.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved building block which Another object of the invention isto pro-,

" 1 vide awall constructed of a plurality of interlocked hollow are united to form a monolithic structure havingdeadcells'therein. i j i An additional object of the invention is I to provide a tile'comprising a rectangular block having-four planar: outer surfaces and having a central cylindrical cavlty therein and wherein the block-1s provided with tongues which may-be removed to provideinterlocking portions. 1

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of aportion of'a wall constructed from blocks embodying the features of my invention; Fig. 2'is a perspective view of a full block; Fig; 3 is a perspective view of a half block; Fig. 4 is a perspective'view,partly in section, showing a column constructed from my blocks; Fig. -5 isa perspective view, partly in cross section, showing anotherembodiment of my'invention; Fig 6 is a sectional view of ac'orner block; Fig. Tisa perspective view, partly in section, showing another type of wall; Fig 8 is a perspec tive view of a mold used in connection with my invention; Fig.9 is a section showing another embodiment of my invention; Fig.=10 is atop plan view showing the i 1 BUILDING cousrnnc riou. it

is of such a nature that the block can be blocks wherein the blocks vide a corner block Application filed October 27,1923. semis-0,671,093. 'f'f ffh tion. This blockis shown as provided with planar outer faces 11, 12-, 14

a plurality of and w The inner portion of the block is showngas provided with a central cylindri cal aperture intermediatethe faces 11', 12, 14 and 15 is shown ashaving the outer surface 1 8 thereof arcu-ate and with the radius of curvature coaxial with the center 1 ofcthe" aperture- 16. is construction providesna block having four .protuberant. faces, one of which may form the inside portion ofa wall and the outerfacesmay form the outside portion of the wall.

TES P T QFHCE.

Emmavan Wm, or;tosaueE EscArIromvm. v

16. Theportion of I-the block The. portions 18 may bepi' ovided at each end with pairsof parallel slits 19 thus dc fining tongues20.: Thetongues 20 may be removed from the block when desired to form notches which allow the blocks to be interlocked. I 1 The blocks described maybe made of a great number of materials. 1 find, however, that by making the blocks of clay that a highly eflicient product is secured, although I wish it to be understood that the blocks may be made of-cement, plaster, indurated wood fibre, orany other material adapted to be'formedinto'the shape shown.

In forming a wall I prefer to use'half blocks as shown in Fig.8 and fullblocks as shown in Fig. 2. his also desirable to pro-. and I have accordingly shown one at 21 which differs-from the other units only in that the faces22 and 23 areplane throughout, the corner portion 18 being omitted. 1 i w The portions*18-and the resultant notches 19 are of ,suflicientlwidth that'when' the blocks are-laid in a wallas shown in Fig.

lthat' the contiguous edges may be'iunited I be spaced apartas shown in Fig. 1. When.

this arrangement is produced the edges of the webs 29 will be arranged close together while the edges at 30 will be separatedfor a distance. 7 At 31 the wall isshown" with a reversed curvature with the edges 32 arranged adja,

cent each other and the edges 33 spaced.

I prefer to within the cavities of the blocks shown in Fig. 1 to provide a monolithic wall." It .is also desirable to provide dea d air cells within the walls for purpose of insulation, and in order to do:' this, I show a mold ,member 3a i'nFigNSL' The mold member comprises preferably a rigid wood'body portion. 35: which tapers toward its lower. end. so that it can be readily-"withdrawn. Upon the body 351 I secure opposed wcurve'cbplatels "36:; The curved plates. are preferably inadeof. metal and while being flexible nevertheless have sutlicicnt rigidity to hold 'th'emselves in position within a block when inserted in place. The molds: 34 are shown in both block ofthe curved Wall. In using the moldsthe cement is placed against the: outer surface of the curved plate 36 and after the cement has hardened the mold. member canv :be readily withdrawn. 7

In Fig. 4: Ishow at 40 apier; or: column, constructed from two-rows :of my improved tiles; In.- so constructing av column the tongues: 20 are allowed to remain in. the tile and prefera-bly'thehollow tile is filled with cement so that a very efficient supporting member isatl'orded.

In Fig.5 I show a 'ti'leel. comprising a plurality of rectangular slabs 42' preferably l member" 46- made of cement and. having embedded therein, and spacedf'rom each end, .reenfor cing members- 43.; In constructing the tileshown in Fig. 51 preferably mold the slabs 422 in order. To: do thisa moldof theproper size:

is filled withcement and a pair of-reenforcmembers 43 are embedded therein; After the slab has cured another slab is moldeddna plane at right angles to the first slab and the process 'is repeated until: the'tile is complete. 1 T

--In' Fig. 6 I show 'a'cornerbl'ock which is of the same character as the block-shown in-Fi'g. 5-. In this corner block instead of providing four separate slabs-I prefer to use two separate slabs l land an .L-shapecl The reenforcing rods 47 ;preferably pass through both of the faces of the L shaped portion and may be exposed at 48 or covered with cement at this point as desired.

In Fig. I show'a wall construlcted of tiles orf a slightly d-iift'erentcharactera "I'he tiles here shown comprise preferably outer and inner members 50 and 51.- The outerand inner members are: shown: as united by securing means which include preferably place a; 'cementitious filling- A of the straight :wall and block B woodenplanks 53 and 54. The planks are secured to the outer and inner members by means of suitable fastening means 55. I

.now prefer to construct the tile shown in Fig.7 by first and bland driving therein at suitable spaced distances from each end of taking the planks of wood 53 the planks nails or;sp1kes 55.. This having been done prepare a mold and after the mold has been filled with cement or other material I insert theends of the nails oftwo end members in the cement and allow it to set. After the cement. has set I complete the other sideof the tile in the same manner.

In constructing acorner block of the type shown in Fig. 7 I preferably unite two of thexlocking members as shown by means of :a long metalreenforcement 61- and also provide suitable nails or reenter-cements 63 211lCl'64: similarto the r'eenforcemcnt 55.. I then cast an L-shaped corner member 66 and: embed. the endsof' the nails 60 therein. In all of my tile herein described r mvide full blocks andhalf'blocks so thatv the the corner C after which I proceed to provided'ead air cells within the wall by means of the mold. member 35; The mold member is shown as being used in making the cavity D, Fig. 7, and afterthe. cement has: partially set the moldmemb'er is withdrawn.

Instead ofjcasting the faces. of the tile shown in Fig. 7 with. the reenforcementss-55 embedded therein, I may precast the outer faces 70 of the tilev as shown in Fi-gpll and provide them with rabbets 711. After the faces have cured I'may insert the nails 55 inthe rabbets and then i-nserta filling of cement 72-wh=ich on hardening will secure the nails: 55in placej i a In Fig. '9 I .have shown a portion o-fa wall constructed of tiling" -wherein all of the members airermade of wood. The interlocking members 75 are united tothe front andbaclr 76- and 77 by driving spikes'ZS through the 'Z'Z and into the locking members 75; -The wallrshow'n in Fig.9 may be'c'ompleted' by insertingthe filling" of cement therein and dead-aircelils' may be provided by use of the mold 35 iif dcsired.-- 5 1 The tiles I- have described as made partially of wood are particularly adapted for the use of; farmers and other persons who are not'equipped to make the whole clay or the whole: cement tile. By utilizing my invention. scrap lumber. may be worked up into a great many useful tarticles the tiles embodying the featuresof my invention are so -easy. to constructthat the services oi a faces of the membersi76 and skilled mechanic at high'wages are unneces to construct his buildings at a minimum of cost.

In Fig. 10 I show a wall 80 similar to that shown in Fig. 1. The wall is provided along each side with a reenforcing rod or wire 81 which passes through the notches 82 in the interlocked tiles 83. In order to align the wall it is merely necessary to pull tightly on the wire 81 thereby causing the tiles to shift until the outer and inner faces are in parallel planes. After this is done, and while the wire or rods remain tight, a filling of cement may be placed about the rods 81 thereby securing the reenforcement in place and making a monolithic structure of the wall. The dead air cells 85 previously described may be made by means of my mold 35.

I11 Fig. 12 I have shown an elevation of two interlocked blocks 88 and 89. The block 88 is a full length block while the block 89 is of a half length. It will be noted that the interlocking members 90 of i the block 88 are of the same length as the front and back of the block while the interlocking members 91 of the half block are the same length as the front and back of the half block.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided an improved type of building block from which monolithic walls for buildings, curved walls for silos, columns, piers, etc. can be economically constructed. The individual units can be very readily made by machinery or by hand and can be very economically assembled.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1

1. A wall constructed from a plurality of like units, each unit comprising rectangular front and back members, said front and back members being united to each other at each side thereof by locking members, said look ing members of units in the same course interfitting, there being a space between the locking members of adjacent units to form an air cell within the wall, said wall having cementitious material thereon engaging the adjoining faces of the tile to hold them in assembled position and to thus seal the air cells within the wall.

2. A building tile comprising a rectangular body composed of four rectangular planar outer surfaces arranged at right angles to each other, said body having a cylindrical aperture extending therethrough, a pair of slits at each corner and at both ends of the rectangular body, said slits ter minating at spaced distances from the ends of said body thereby defining a tongue, the space normally occupied by said tongue serving to form interlocking notches when the tongues are removed and the block is placed in the wall, the inner surface of said tongues being arcuate and having the same radii as that of the cylindrical aperture.

8. A wall constructed from a plurality of like units, each unit comprising a rectangular front and back member, locking members secured at each side of the front and back members, the locking members of units in the same course interfitting, there being a space between the locking members, a filling of cementitious material occupying a portion of the space between the front and back faces, whereby a dead air cell is 1 provided within the wall.

4:- A wall comprising a structure formed from a plurality of similar tiles, each tile comprising'a body portion having an outer and inner planar face and having notches in the ends theme, the notches of adjacent tiles being interfitted to lock them together, a reenforcement extending through said notches, said reenforcement when tightened serving to align said tiles.

5. A wall constructed of tiles, each tile including front and back members and side members and having notches in the ends thereof, the notches of tiles in the, same course being interfitted to lock them to gether, a reenforcement extending through said notches, said reenforcement when tightened serving to align said tiles, and a filling of cementitious material surrounding said reenforcement to hold the-tiles and the reenforcement in posit-ion.

6. A wall built of a plurality of similar units, each unit comprising a body portion having front, back and side members, there being a space between each two members, at the ends thereof to form a notch, the notches of the units in the same course being interfitted to lock them together, a reenforcement extending through said notches, said reenforcement when tightened serving to align said units, and a filling of cementitious material surrounding said reenforcement to hold the latter in position, said units being hollow, said wall having a plu-- rality of dead air cells therein, said dead air cells being arranged within the cementitious filling. V

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

ELMER E. VAN WIE. 

